The Northern Trust Company was founded in 1889 by Byron Laflin Smith who provided 40% of the Bank's $1 million capitalization. There were 27 original shareholders among which were Marshall Field, Philip D. Armour and Martin A. Ryerson.

Northern Trust Corporation was organized in Delaware in 1971 and that year became the owner of all of the outstanding capital stock, except directors' qualifying shares, of The Northern Trust Company (Bank), an Illinois banking corporation headquartered in the Chicago financial district and the Corporation's principal subsidiary.

Northern Trust stock traded over the counter until February 5, 1971, when it began trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market with the ticker symbol NTRS. This is the first day Nasdaq started trading.

Northern Trust's common stock has split seven times in the Corporation's history. There have been ten stock dividends in this same period. Read our stock split history for an inclusive list of stock splits and stock dividends.